Ship construction.



ojmussun.

SHIP CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. 19H.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

2 SNEZTS-SHEET I.

10,5 4 TTORNEY 0. HAUSSLER. SHIP c'ousmucnon. ICATION FILED Aume' 1 APPL 911. '1 ,259,860. v Patented Mar. 19, 1918. v 2 HHHHHHHH [1-2.-

#44 A TTORNE y OTTO HAUSSLER, 0F GARFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

SHIP CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed August 6, 1917. Serial No. 184,607.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'r'ro HAUSSLER, a citizen of the United States of America, resident of Garfield, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain -new and useful Improvements in Ship Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of sea-going vessels, and has as its special object the provision of means whereby a plurality of relatively small ships may be engaged or disengaged in an eifective and expeditious manner.

It is a well-known fact thatlarge ships as used in the transportation of troops, supplies, etc-., present a considerable area of vulnerability to the attacks of torpedoes, mines, and other dangerous marine missiles, which, should the attack prove effective, is more than likely to cause the loss of the ship and its contents.

It is therefore one of the objects of this invention to construct two or more relatively'small ships, each having an independent power source, steering means and other accouterments, in fact each vessel arranged complete in itself, the ships being engaged intandem one with another by rigid bars in such manner as to permit instant loosening, allowing the ships toseparate and act individually.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing three ships of conventional type and indicating the application of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. I

Fig. '8 is an enlarged fragmental side elevational View showing more clearly the connecting means.

Fig. 4 is a to plan view of the same.

Fig 5 is a ragmental perspective view showing a part of one of the connecting bars.

Fig. 6 is a similar perspective view showing the brackets applied to the side of the ship, and

b Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the The vessels, designated by the numerals 10, 11, and 12, as shown in the drawings, are preferably arranged in tandem, the central vessel 11, having secured on its sides near the ends fixed brackets 14:, by bolts 15,

the brackets containing a longitudinal slot 17, and have formed on their lower edge a plurality of teeth 18, the purpose of which will be hereafter described.

Adapted to engage within the slots 17 of the brackets, are rigid bars 20, having rotatably mounted therein, along their upper edge and near the ends, shafts 22, the extending ends of which are rigidly engaged with collars 23, acting as eccentrics and in which is set the operating handle 24, by

means of which the links 25 may beoperated, the links having inturned ends engaging in the openings formed in the collars 23, at a point opposite the handle, the whole being arranged in such manner that, when the handle 2a is partially rotated, the collars are caused to rotate eccentrically, thereby raising or lowering the links 25, together with the connecting loop 26, which is adapt-- ed to engage within the teeth 18 thereby locking the bars 20 rigidly in position.

It will be obvious that due to the distance apart of the teeth 18, that the distance between one ship and another may be adjusted to suit, and also that the clamping means employed will hold the bars rigidly engaged with the brackets or release the same by a single movement of the handles 24, thereby permitting the vessels to be separated and pursue individual courses, an arrangement which is regarded as far safer than if the several ships were combined into one.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

.1. In a connection for ships, the combination with the hull thereof of a pair of rigid brackets arranged on the exterior of said hull, at the front-and rear thereof, said brackets having longitudinally disposed slots, open at the top and ends, bars receivable in the mentioned slots, said bars extending from one ship to another, and means for clamping said bars rigidly in engagement with said brackets.

2. In a shi connecting means, the combination with the hull of a vessel, of oppositely disposed pairs of brackets rigidly engaged the bottom of said brackets, a bar engageablein the mentioned slots, eccentrics carried at the ends of said bars, loops pivotally engaged with said eccentrics, said loops being engageable with said teeth, and means for operating said eccentrics.

3. In a connection adapted to extend between ships, the combination with brackets rigidly disposed upon either side of the hull of a ship at the front and rear thereof, said brackets being substantially in the same 10 horizontal plane, rigid bars extending "from nasaeeo one bracket to another, means formed with said brackets receptive of said bars, oppositeiy disposed ratchet teeth formed on the lower side of said brackets, means carried at the ends of said bars engageable within said teeth, and means for engaging or disengaging said teeth with said bars.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature,

OTTO HAUSSLER. 

